dd7 coughing her brains out....afraid to do anything!

[eljomom]

A couple of my kids have had the congestion, snotty nose, scratchy throat at the beginning thing going on. It's progressed to coughing the past few days. Really seems like mostly from postnasal drip, but the past 2 nights, the coughing has been all night long...just coughing and coughing.

 

She has been on 100 mg of Zithromax for 3.5 months. I believe this is viral. BUT....my husband, who still has no anxiety about pandas, DOES happen to hate coughs. He said I need to take her to have it checked tomorrow....and I'm afraid to even go there. How do I trust what any regular old pediatrician would give her. More antibiotics? Cough medicine? I'm afraid to give her anything for the cough......it seems like everything I read is how these pandas kids react differently do normal meds. SSRI's, which would usually help anxiety and ocd are a no-no. I thought I even read NO Benadryl (used to be a staple in this house). So is there any kind of list of what to NOT give sick pandas kids??? And what we can give?? I don't want to rock the boat and stir up any symptoms, agitate her, etc.

 

Thanks!!

[Ozimum]

I'm with you that this is probably viral...antibiotics are typically prescribed for a bacterial infection, which you would think would be covered off by the Zith - unless it's not a high enough dose? or the bacteria is resistant?

 

With PANDAS we've also changed the way we've dealt with colds etc. Our biomed has said to use Olive Leaf Extract, bump up the Vit C and take echinacea, and (as needed) Ibuprofen, along with hot lemon and honey to help soothe the throat, gargling with salt water, extra pillow at night...and just ride it out. Trust your gut!

Good luck!

Edit to say- Do you have Vicks vapour rub there? We find it helpful rubbed on chest...

Edited March 29, 2011 by Ozimum

[eljomom]

oooh....yes....will try the vicks now. she's in with me now, not looking like I will sleep either. She just needs some relief from the coughing. Eyeballing the Benadryl.....

[smartyjones]

Edit to say- Do you have Vicks vapour rub there? We find it helpful rubbed on chest...

 

 

i know this sounds crazy -- i thought my friend was when she told me, but it does really work -- vicks vapor rub on the bottom of the feet and cover with socks. i also give a spoonful of honey

[Ozimum]

Poor thing! (actually both of you!) Can't comment on the Benadryl as have never used it but also could also contain different ingredients here in Oz. (I've got an idea that Ibuprofen can have an effect on the gut, but our Biomed didn't seem too worried, especially as we don't use it much.)

[KaraM]

Even prior to PANDAS, the line in our regual pediatricians office is that OTC cough medicines do very little and that honey is just, if not more, effective...

[NancyD]

May want to check Myco P IgG and IgM level.

[thereishope]

Personally, with an ongoing cough lasting a week or more, I would probably go to the doctor. Even if you've been on Zith, I'd get it checked out.I don't like giving cough meds as I see it as the body's way of trying to get rid of something. Is there a fever, extreme fatigue? A cough can indicate many things. One thing the doctor will ask is if your child has allergies. So, if they do, try to get allergies under control and give meds for that for a couple dayss you can confidently say to the doctor, it is not allergies.

 

As for what meds are okay to give...there's no cut and dry answer for that. My kid takes Benadryl great, yet I know others who have experienced hyperactivity and I think rages from it. Claritin makes my kid hyper, but works fine with others.

 

You could try saline spray to try to thin out mucus as well.

 

As for natural supplements, here's this...

Bromelain: A strong pineapple enzyme, bromelain has proven mucolytic properties. As such, bromelain supports normal mucosal tissue function and enhances the absorption of quercetin.

 

N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC): An amino acid that is also a natural mucolytic, NAC reduces the viscosity of mucus. Clinical studies have proven oral doses of NAC to be an excellent means to recharge cellular glutathione, a foundational antioxidant.

[tpotter]

May be asthma. I'd get her to the dr. immediately. It doesn't matter what the cause (viral, bacterial, etc.) asthma can kill by completely blocking the airway. BTW...personally, I take ibuprofin when my asthma's at it's worst (in addition to asthma meds,) because it helps me get rid of the tightness in my chest.

[tpotter]

one more thing...if it turns out it's not asthma (and I would definitely check that out first,) our LLMD told me to take megadoses of vitamin D (we're talking 50K units per day for one week!) Granted I'm much bigger than you're child, but the deal is that vitamin D in larger doses definitely works...it helped me. Also, btw...I agree about checking mycoP...I had mycoP for probably 3 years, before we caught it. Good luck.